Grade 11 and 12: Reading Literature

Grade 11 and 12: Reading Literature

Grade 11:

Description and sample titles of grade-level texts (not included in this draft)

Quick scale(page 2)

Rating Scale (pages 3-4)

Sample Task with exemplars: Synthesis: Sinclair Lewis short stories (pages 5-9)

Grade 12:

Description and sample titles of grade-level texts (not included in this draft)

Quick scale(page 10)

Rating Scale (pages 11-12)

Sample Tasks with exemplars

Discussion of theme: The visit (pages 13-17)
Quotation: Response and analysis: The Kite Runner (pages 18-24)

Draft: Formative Performance ScalesQuick Scale: Grade 11 Reading Literature

The ratings on this scale assume that students are working with appropriate grade-level literary material. A description and examples will be provided in the final version of this document,

Not yet within expectations / Meets minimal expectations / Fully meets expectations / Exceeds expectations
Snapshot / Limited understanding; misinterprets or omits key aspects. Often incomplete: very brief, with insufficient material and/or support to complete the task. / Literal understanding; may overlook subtleties.
Limited interpretation. Some evidence or support, often weak and/or not integrated. / Clear and accurate understanding, including some subtleties or implicit ideas. Some thoughtful interpretation. Sufficient, appropriate evidence. / Insightful understanding, including subtle or challenging ideas. Sophisticated; well-developed analysis. Highly effective evidence.
Strategies/approach
Focus on question or task (e.g., answers question, follows instructions)
Organization of response
Tone
Vocabulary, including use of literary terms
Integration of quotations /

Does not complete the task; insufficient material.
Poorly organized; difficult to follow
Tone is inappropriate
Vague and general language; may make errors in word choice
Quotations may be omitted, or not integrated/connected

Partially completes the task; may focus on only one part
Lacks focus and organization; often repetitive
Tone is inconsistent
Conversational and broad concept language
Some quotations disconnected

Complete
Organized and focused
Appropriate tone, but may not be sustained
Uses appropriate language; some specificity and deliberation
Quotations are competently integrated

Complete; thorough and detailed
Systematic, focused and well-organized
Sustains a purposeful, often strategic tone
Sophisticated and specific language
Quotations are smoothly integrated into the flow of the response

Comprehension
Understanding
Interpretation and analysis
Quality of textual evidence /

Limited understanding; misreads or misinterprets key aspects
No logical interpretation or analysis
Little or no evidence or support

Literal understanding; often overlooks subtleties; implicit information
Some interpretation; often simplistic with limited development
Evidence and support are general and vague without clear connections to key points or ideas

Clear understanding, including some subtleties or implicit ideas
Thoughtful and well-developed interpretation
Reasonable amount of appropriate support and evidence: explicit; implicit; relevant quotations

Comprehensive understanding of both explicit and implicit ideas; insightful
Sophisticated interpretation and analysis; well-developed;takes risks
Convincing support; and evidence: explicit; implicit; significant quotations

Response; Critical Analysis
Note: These will not be apparent in all tasks
Responds personally
Makes connections to self, other texts or world
Shows critical thinking/critical literacy (e.g., considers context; questions the text)
Evaluates literary qualities of the text /

Limited or no personal response
Few if any connections; may be irrelevant in terms of the text
Does not question the text; little evidence of critical thinking
Little, if any, evaluation of the text

General personal response
Superficial connections; may relate a personal experience without a strong connection to the text
Some evidence of critical thinking or questioning the text
Superficial evaluation of text

Thoughtful personal response
Relevant connections; these may not add substantially to interpretation of the text
Questions some aspects of the text
Competent, supported evaluation of the text

Sophisticated personal response; evidence of individuality
Thoughtful, and sometimes revealing, connections may risk vulnerability
Questions the text, often in terms of societal values; sophisticated analysis
Convincing critical evaluation of the text

Draft: Formative Performance ScalesRating Scale: Grade 11 Reading Literature

Note: The grade 11 and 12 scales are identical. The ratings assume that students are working with appropriate grade-level literary material. A description and examples for each grade will be provided in the final version of this document,

Not yet within expectations / Meets minimal expectations
Snapshot / Shows limited understanding; misinterprets or omits key aspects.Often incomplete: very brief, with insufficient material and/or support to complete the task. / Shows literal understanding of key aspects; may overlook subtleties. Limited interpretation; may offer just a plot summary. Provides some evidence or support, but often weak and/or not integrated.
Strategies/approach
- Focus on question or task (e.g., answers question, follows instructions)
- Organization of response
- Tone
-Vocabulary, including use of literary terms
-Integration of quotations /

Does not complete the task; may misinterpret the instructions or provide insufficient material.
Response is poorly organized; difficult to follow
Tone is inappropriate
Uses vague and general language; may make errors in word choice; very limited use of literary terms
Quotations may be omitted, or not integrated/connected

Partially completes the task; may focus on one part of the task and omit others.
Lacks focus and organization; often repetitive
Tone is inconsistent
Uses conversational and broad concept language; some literary terms
Quotations may seem disconnected in places

Comprehension
-Understanding
-Interpretation and analysis
-Quality of textual evidence /

Limited understanding; misreads or misinterprets key aspects (e.g., quotations, character, plot)
No logical interpretation or analysis
Little or no evidence or support

Focuses on literal understanding; often overlooks or misunderstands subtleties or implicit information
May make some attempt at interpretation; tends to be simplistic with limited development and analysis (often primarily a plot summary)
Evidence and support tends to be general and vague without clear connections to key points or ideas

Response; Critical Analysis
Note: These will not be apparent in all tasks
-Responds personally
-Makes connections to self, other texts or world
-Takes a critical stance; demonstrates critical thinking/critical literacy (e.g., situates within genre; culture; time; questions the text)
- Evaluates literary qualities of the text /

Limited or no personal response
Few if any connections to self, other texts or world; may relate a personal experience that is irrelevant in terms of the text
Does not question the text; little evidence of critical thinking
Offer little, if any, evaluation of the text

General personal response
Superficial connections to self, other texts or world; may relate a personal experience without a strong connection to the text
Some evidence of critical thinking or questioning the text, but generally takes text at face value or adopts opinions they assume people “should” have
Offers superficial evaluation of the text

Fully meets expectations / Exceeds expectations
Shows clear and accurate understanding of key aspects, including some subtleties or implicit ideas.Some thoughtful interpretation and analysis. Integrates sufficient, appropriate evidence. / Shows insightful understanding of both explicit and implicit aspects, including subtle or challenging ideas. Sophisticated and well-developed analysis; may take risks.Highly effective use of well-chosen evidence.

Addresses all components of the task
Organized and focused
Takes an appropriate tone, but may not sustain it consistently
Uses appropriate language with some specificity and deliberation, including some literary terms
Quotations are competently integrated

Addresses all components of the task; thorough and detailed
Systematic, focused and well-organized; sense of unity or ‘tying up’ an interpretation
Sustains a purposeful and often strategic tone (e.g., academic tone in a formal essay)
Sophisticated and specific language, including a range of literary terms
Quotations are smoothly integrated into the flow of the response

Shows clear understanding, including some subtleties or implicit ideas
Thoughtful and well-developed interpretation and analysis.
Offers a reasonable amount of appropriate support, including explicit and implicit/ inferred evidence, and quotations that are clearly connected to the key points or ideas

Shows comprehensive understanding of both explicit and implicit ideas; insightful; has depth
Sophisticated interpretation and analysis; well-developed and coherent (ties ideas together); may take risks to go beyond a ‘standard’ interpretation
Offers convincing support; including both explicit and implicit evidence, and quotations that are significant in terms of key points or ideas.

Thoughtful personal response
Relevant connections to self, other texts or world ; these may not be linked closely enough to add to interpretation of the text
Questions some aspects of the text
Offers competent, supported evaluation of the text

Sophisticated personal response; evidence of individuality
Thoughtful, and sometimes revealing, connections to self, other texts or world; may take risks, show risk vulnerability
Questions the text, often in terms of societal values; some sophisticated analysis
Offers convincing critical evaluation of the text

Grade 11 Sample Task: Synthesis (Sinclair Ross stories)

Context

Students completed a six-unit on short stories where they participated in class discussions, independent activities, and literature circles. Some instruction focused on comparing and contrasting, using Venn diagrams and other strategies. Students completed this assignment in class near the end of the unit.

Process: Student Assignment.

Task:

Individually you will read the provided two short stories. As you read annotate each of the stories to better connect and build a deeper understanding of the texts. After you read through each of the stories make a Venn-diagram; pulling out the similarities and differences between the texts. You will then be responsible for writing a multi-paragraph synthesis response comparing and contrasting one of the following topics.

Topics:

Two Wives

Two Husbands

Use of the setting

Use of Symbols

Dynamic of the Two Relationships

Who Achieved The Most Success

Steps For Success:

Read each of the stories at least twice each

Annotate: making connections and strengthening your ideas

Create a detailed Venn Diagram

Focus on the main characters in each of the stories

Define what you think success really is and apply it to each of the characters

Write a draft

Edit good copy

Note: this assignment focused on comprehension and strategies; students were not directed to incorporate personal responses or take a critical stance.

Synthesis Task: Sinclair Ross stories - Not Yet WithinExpectations

Teacher’s Observations

NYM / MM / FM / Ex
OVERALL
Snapshot
Strategies; approach
Comprehension
Responses; critical analysis

Shows limited understanding.
Does not complete the task. Provides insufficient material.
No logical interpretation or analysis.

Note: transcribed from original response.

For this synthesis I chose to compare the two storms and what it revels about their relationships. For the painted door, in the story there’s a snow storm and the wife Ann is left at home while her husband John goes to help his dad a few miles away. Ann doesn’t like being the house alone with nothing to do. Although Ann reluctantly lets John go to his dad’s house. While John is out Ann decides to keep herself occupied by painting the walls and doors of the house. John invites a friend named Steven over for a game of cards. When John is out Steven goes over and has dinner with Ann. Ann starts to feel a connection with him. During this time as they are having dinner Ann is also comparing Steven to her husband John, thinking that he is more handsome then John. They go inside and the author implies that they cheat with one another. In the story Ann thinks she saw John in the door way but decides it is her guilt playing with her mind. At the end of the story it turns out John commits suicide, Ann looks at his hand where there is a smudge of paint the same color as the bedroom door, showing he was in the doorway where she saw him. In conclusion for this story I think that Ann’s relationship with John was not as strong as they both might have thought it was.

For the story “Lamp at Noon there was a sand storm and there was a drought. The drought was horrible and it killed many of the crops and no water for the live stock because of the lack of water. Also they had a lack of water for themselves; they were planning on moving to the city because of the lack of water. They were having trouble with not water on the farm for anything. At the end the drought ended and they were happy with the staying on the farm with plenty of water for the crops, live stock and themselves.

Synthesis Task: Sinclair Ross stories – Meets Expectations (Minimal Level)

Teacher’s Observations

NYM / MM / FM / Ex
OVERALL
Snapshot
Strategies; approach
Comprehension
Responses; critical analysis

Focuses on literal understanding; often overlooks subtleties or implicit information
Limited interpretation; little analysis (primarily plot summaries)
Evidence and support tends to be general and vague without clear connections to key points or ideas

Note: transcribed from original handwritten response.

Although the two stories “The Painted Door” and “The Lamp at Noon” are both written by Sinclair Ross, there are a lot of differences. The two stories both include wife characters who represent a lot more than just a farmer’s wife. In many aspects, the two wives are similar yet still distinct from each other.

The two farmer’s wives Ellen, and Anne show many significant similarities. Though the two stories have different messages across the text, the two wives both symbolize an isolation against the world. Both Ellen and Anne felt held back by either their husband or the farm. Their yearnings for freedom and adventure creates doubts in their relationships with their husbands. The storm that takes place in both stories represent the emotions in which Ellen and Anne are feeling. In the “Painted Door”, the cold, winter storm symbolizes the lack of warmth and love she feels from her husband. The lack of communication and his leaving makes the storm stronger than ever. For Ellen in “The Lamp at Noon,” the dry and dusty storm represents Ellen’s tired and rusty heart. Day after day, her heart slowly dries out from hope for her husband and farm. At the end of the story Anne and Ellen both realized their love for their husband. Ellen’s loss of a child only made her rely on her husband more. Anne, aftering waking up from an affair, got struck with regret and realizes that it was Jake who was there for her all along.

Even with all the similarities, Anne and Ellen are also quite different. Ellen was more caring for her family while Anne was more selfish. She only wanted self satisfaction, leading her to be unfaithful. Ellen wanted to move away to keep her family safe. Anne cheated to feel loved. In the end, it was too late for regrets, because they all lost someone important to them.

DRAFT. Interim scale developed for BC Ministry of Education based on 2007 curriculum. Will be updated or replaced as new curricula are developed. 1

Synthesis: Sinclair Ross stories - Fully Meets Expectations

Teacher’s Observations

NYM / MM / FM / Ex
OVERALL
Snapshot
Strategies; approach
Comprehension
Responses; critical analysis

Organized and focused
Takes an appropriate tone,
Uses appropriate language with some specificity and deliberation
Shows clear understanding, including some subtleties or implicit ideas
Thoughtful and well-developed interpretation and analysis.
Offers a reasonable amount of appropriate support, including explicit and implicit/ inferred evidence

Note: transcribed from original handwritten response.

The painted door; The lamp at noon.

The storms in both these short stories play very significant roles. Both The painted door and the lamp at noon sort of revolve, in a way, around the storms.

In the painted door, Ann and John are married but have a strange lack of communication. John is a very laid back man, happy living on a farm his whole life, while Ann is looking for more and feels like John doesn’t care about her as much as he should. In the end, Ann is unfaithful to John and betrays his trust. John is found frozen in the storm with a smudge of white paint on his hand (Ann had been painting earlier). John saw her infidelity. Ann instantly feels guilt and remorse and realizes how much she loved John.

In the lamp at noon, Ellen and Paul’s relationship is quite different. They argue frequently, as opposed to having a lack of communication. Ellen is mad at Paul for the same reason Ann is unhappy with John. Paul cares too much about the farm to leave, even though it is necessary due to an ongoing, dangerous sandstorm. Ellen feels that the sandstorm is a great danger to her child, so she takes him and runs away. In the end, the child dies, somewhat like John, in the storm, during an escape.